


The Mysteries of Tomorrow

by MaskofCognito



Series: Alternative Nano Challenge [4]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternative Nano Challenge, Gen, Hogwarts, M/M, One Shot, Post-War, Short
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-04
Updated: 2019-11-04
Packaged: 2021-01-22 21:06:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 786
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21308602
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MaskofCognito/pseuds/MaskofCognito
Summary: Harry chooses to stay behind and help with rebuilding Hogwarts. Draco is sent to Hogwarts on orders of the Ministry of Magic. A short of potential to-be. Really open ended. Meant for a short prompt collection, but may touch upon this story in the future. At the moment, can be read as gen or slash.
Relationships: Draco Malfoy & Harry Potter, Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter
Series: Alternative Nano Challenge [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1534499
Comments: 4
Kudos: 4





	The Mysteries of Tomorrow

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: Destruction

The school is in utter disarray. The building has been smashed to bits in areas, and dusty but unharmed in few others. Fortunately, it seemed that while there were lots of injuries, most of those who fought in the war would be easily mended and healed with time. The deaths of recent and those to come from mortal wounds were not so lucky. But all in all, there was hope in the mess following the war. 

After months of funerals and memorials, Harry watched as the castle started to repair itself. Much as he felt the magical world, alike, was healing and moving on (not, of course, forgetting those lost). Time does indeed seem to heal.

He hadn’t felt comfortable going back to Grimmauld place. Headmistress McGonagall had offered Harry a place to stay in the dorms whilst Hogwarts was not in session. The only caveat being that he’d help in the reparations getting Hogwarts back to operating standards before the new school year. 

While absolutely certain that the Weasley’s would have happily offered him a place to stay, Harry thought it good for him to leave them be for the time being. They’d just lost a son, and it seemed that no matter where Harry went, he brought trouble with him. It was best that he try and make up for all the misfortune he seemed to spread.

In his time thus far on Hogwarts property, he has learned that Hogwarts castle is truly alive. She slowly repairs herself. But to make the timeline Headmistress McGonagall had in mind— to reopen Hogwarts for the new year and let the magical world find its place back in normalcy— she needed a hand in speeding things along.

All the teachers of Hogwarts still alive and well are among those who stayed behind and helped. Harry isn’t the only student who wished to stay and help clean up, either. Hermione came and went, as did Ron, but as she was trying to find a way to get her parents back, she was living mainly with the Weasleys. 

The newest common room for students who wished to stay behind (the only one to have been currently all repaired minus the minor cosmetic bits they slowly manage after each evening) currently houses Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood. There are many more, actually, but those are the two he knows the best. And Neville and Luna are the best people he could have chosen to have by his side in the moments he is feeling most down.

But most surprisingly— or perhaps not— is the ratio of students who volunteered to help out in repairing Hogwarts. Hufflepuff far outnumbered any of the other houses. And with that, Harry has found new friendships.

And as most things come to an end, so did most of the students’ stay. While the castle wasn’t at it’s best as of yet, most of the major repairs were finished and a lot of the students went along on their way, spending their remaining time with their families.

Luna and Neville had been among those who left and Harry felt, once more, all alone. 

That is until Draco Malfoy, himself, had appeared. 

Which honestly, Harry never would have expected. He’d heard about Lucius being sent to Azkaban but it wasn’t until Headmistress McGonagall told him about Narcissa having been sent to St. Mungos and the Ministry of Magic having appointed Draco to stay at Hogwarts for all holidays until he graduates (including the bits between years) that he understood why. Apparently, they deemed Draco having been corrupted by his parents— mostly Lucius— and instead of being sentenced to Azkaban as he is so young still, he will be sequestered to Hogwarts and will work while school is out of session for money he might need while still in school. The ministry revoked all use of his family funds until the end of his years at Hogwarts where he will be rejudged as having either been reformed, or unredeemable and thus sentenced to a lifetime of monitoring with his use of magic being revoked.

Harry thought this a bit extreme, but remembering his past with the blonde, he wonders if it wasn’t harsh enough. No. That was the wrong way of thinking about things. He remembers seeing how unsettled Draco was in the war. That level of foul behaviour was not natural to Draco.

Harry is intrigued by how different Draco must be now.

And just as a phoenix, the castle had risen from her ashes. He imagines the war must have torn Draco down. Perhaps it’s taken the rivalry between them and shattered it to dust? So he wonders… What kind of Draco will rise from the soot?

**Author's Note:**

> I didn't want to write for Nano and commit to 50k when I know that a) I'm not great at long story commitments, and b) my life is a bit busy. However, I didn't want to NOT write this month. So, I decided to commit to a prompt a day for the month of November of whichever fandom I enjoy which gives the prompt the most spark. I'm using [this](https://n7month.tumblr.com/post/188450175349/n7-month-challenge) prompt list I found from tumblr, in case anyone wants to reference it or join in.


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